Red Bull's 'D-Spec' shines but Lotus is the dark horse

Red Bull brought an impressive array of updates for its RB8 to Valencia which Mark Hughes reckons makes it a contender for pole. But come race day it could be Lotus that is dictating the pace of the European Grand Prix...

"This isn't a B-spec car," said a Red Bull team member of the heavily-updated machine the team has brought to Valencia,"it's a D-spec!"

The RB8 has a new front wing, rear suspension, sidepods, floor (with a very trick feature that will be explained in next week's AUTOSPORT magazine), exhaust and lower body profile. It's an amazing feat of productivity from the team which has clearly been flat-out in the two week break since Montreal.